Chapter 8:
Introduction to
Qualitative Data Analysis
Helen Brooks, Penny Bee and Anne Rogers
Chapter overview
Qualitative data includes a range of textual (e.g. transcripts of interviews and
focus groups) and visual (photographic and video) data. During qualitative
analysis researchers make sense of this data gathered from research.
Analysing the data by looking for common themes (known as thematic
analysis) is one of the most common ways in which to do this and involves
examining and recording patterns within the data relating to a specific
research question

facilitation
Time to collect
data, transcribe
and analyse
Can create
challenging,
alignment and
differences in views
Can be
intimidating
Require
appropriate
recording
equipment
Consider if participants
might design or run
their own focus
group, engaging them
as ‘evaluators’ in the
design and running

11/05/2018 16:15
Figure 22 Stages in observational work
Identify a problem or phenomenon of interest
How does a new system of care planning fit in the everyday
routines of care practices?
Choose a strategy to get in (gatekeepers)
Care co-ordinators
Service users
•
Select what to observe (key informants)
Care-planning meetings
Involvement activities
•
Develop relationships
Prior meetings and discussions
Undertake observation
Structured recording of events
Analyse observations
Observe under different circumstances
Model to explain what is happening
Further

) for interaction. Thus they might be seen as primarily a tool to disseminate research findings or enhance a researcher’s career through providing a platform for their views. In contrast, virtual worlds, such as Second Life, are high on both self-presentation/self-disclosure and social presence/media richness because they allow both synchronous communication (that is, avatars can talk or communicate in writing in real time) and the opportunity for text, visual and auditory communication (through labelling, graphics and inclusion of audio or video recordings which can

personal insight into the rediscovery. ‘She gave me ten questions and wanted off-the-cuff answers,’ Nicholas recalls. It took two and a half hours across two sessions for Nicholas to record his responses to the questions. He sent the recordings to Jilli and then didn’t hear anything more until she had produced the final edit.
‘I wouldn’t have ended the film the way she did, but she had her reasons,’ he says, highlighting the need for researchers to be flexible when working with artists or the media. ‘Artists have different perspectives and ways of presenting